MovieChat Forums > Romancing the Stone (1984) Discussion > Could use some research about COLOMBIA!!

Could use some research about COLOMBIA!!

posted 19 years ago by juanpa1-1
85 replies | jump to latest

I've waited for a looong time to take this out of my chest. This movie is ok, it's entertaining blah blah blah, but it kinda started the Colombian subject on every movie dealing with stereotypical drug dealers. Just to quote some there's the Harrison Ford movie, recent Mr. & Mrs. Smith... you know there's a lot.

It would be nice if Hollywood people did some research about Colombia. I live in the capital city Bogota. Remember they had to take a funny bus to go to Bogota? well guess what, Bogota has an airport! also, like some dumb UnitedStatian asked me several years ago YES we wear shoes. We don't have monkeys on trees even if you travel from one city to another. Bogota is not some hot tropical city as they depict, it's average 13 celsius. We have some pretty amazing stuff that never gets mentioned in any movie that takes advantage of us! They don't even bother shooting those movies here, because it would take all the stereotype down, and they claim it's dangerous blah blah blah. Every foreign person that I know who have been here has left in love with Colombia. If you're out of places to say bad things about, at least make it up somehow!!

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Slipdigit 18 years ago

The supposed biases against Colombia are no different than the supposed biases and misconceptions regarding the United States. Believe it or not, Americans (I'll use that term because it is a commonly known name for people of this country and word does appear as part of the name of the country) are not all like what is seen in New York, Hollywood, LA, Chicago or any other large city. We don't all live people in soap operas. I go to church with two Colombians and they don't say much in the way of disputing the problems that exist there. They both have stated that they do not plan on returning to Colombia for a host of reason, mostly dependent on violence, graft and general lower quality of life that exist there.

I am certain that Colombia has many wonderful, exciting, delightful and unique features, as does all the other 194+/- countries in the world. If I want factoids about a country, I'll watch the Discovery Channel, just as I would if I wanted factoids about the USA. If I want entertainment using someone's imagination, I'll watch a motion picture, just as I would to be entertained by stories using locations in the USA. A good example of this is the movie Sweet Home Alabama. It used location names of where I grew up, Greenville Al (among others). Greenville was NOTHING like it was depicted in the movie. But you know what, it didn't bother me, it is a MOVIE. If you want Colombia depicted as you see it, make your own movie or documentary.

Best Regards,

J

[–] Holden Caulfield 18 years ago

Possibly the most intelligent and reasonable post in this entire thread is above. ^^^

I wish the original poster had refrained from using an insulting tone towards the very same people he was trying to convey a message to. It makes it a lot harder to get across the original point.

Movies aren't the place to look for a clear presentation of a certain country. For that we here in the US have many travel shows like Lonely Planet that people see much more often than Romancing the Stone anyway.

To the original poster, can you name a good movie which shows Colombia in the way you like it to be presented? If there's one that can be found in the US, with English subtitles if needed, I would enjoy seeking it out and watching it.

[–] demate-1 18 years ago

Can't we all just, get along?

[–] arbyish 18 years ago

who wants reality to interfere with their enjoyment of a hollywood adventure/romance flick?

not me, that's for sure

i'd love it if i were colombian and everyone thought i was a druglord, except maybe the policia

i'm australian, and i love it that americans think we all live in the outback, keep kangaroos as pets and ride them to work or whatever

but now i am generalising about americans

oh well

[–] Slipdigit 17 years ago

You mean you don't all live out in the desert? Well, shoot, I'm going to have to change my whole opinion of y'all. ;)

[–] iamfinethx 18 years ago

get off your high horse

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ksenese 17 years ago

The film was made in 1984. (well probably before that)...
It's not based on Columbia today, and since when do fictional action/adventures depict the location truthfully? This film was made based on a majority of assumptions and honestly, I thought it did show a lot of beauty and culture throughout (whether it was correct or not, I'm no expert). The film was about a crime and had criminals in it, so that's why they were there. This film could have taken place anywhere, don't you think?

You want a film to show the beauty of Columbia to contradict how most ignorant people view it? Make one!!!

I sing and dance around the house in my underwear. Doesn't make me Madonna. Never will.

[–] Slipdigit 17 years ago

Not being critical or demeaning of your comments, but the country is spelled Colombia, not Columbia.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Shinryu81 17 years ago

Well, I agree on the beauty of their women... but i'm biased. My girlfriend is Colombian, she originates from Cali, Valle del Cauca. However she lives in Europe since childhood, but she's been in Colombia a lot. According to her most cities are safe and the jungle area is not, leftwing FARC are hypocrites but the US government sent peacekeepers over there aren't much better. It pretty much sounds like a dirty war going on.

Sometimes people made jokes to me ya know 'Colombian? she must be on coke'.. well those people are impressively stupid. And you know why? Because they base their opinions on stereotypes from movies amongst other things. Yes, they do have a drugproblem, its being fabricated over there. But it a lot of it gets shipped via the Dutch Antilles to my country (which is Holland) into Europe. And its being selled for a supposed streetprice of 40 euro's a kg, thats how big the demand is.

[–] god_of_thunder345 17 years ago

I was born in Cali, Colombia to a Spanish (as from Spain) father and a Colombian mother. I have lived in the United States, Spain, Brazil and Colombia and traveled to many other places and I have to say that I would definately choose Colombia.

I think this video may help a little bit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgW8Y7F8DN8

[–] nelstar (359) 6 years ago

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[–] Zando777 17 years ago

If you don't know Columbia is dangerous, then you know nothing about your country.

P.S.: It's "American".

[–] juanca11114 17 years ago

of course he realizes that Colombia is dangerous..just like any other country in the world..Im Colombian myself and I have been living in the US for quite a while and this dude is just tired of how ignorant fkn hollywood is in making movies of other countries based on negative stereotipes..would any intelligent American would be pissed off if there is a Colombian movie (by the way Colombia has good movies_) that happens to have American characters and they portray them as something out of "Deliverance"? I would be kinda pissed off because I know that not all Americans are a bunch of imbread, dumb rednecks. That is just a negative stereotipe...now you all see what the original poster meant?

[–] jeanlolonnais 17 years ago

Why is this idiotic thread still alive ? Don't be so sensitive. There are plenty of lowlifes portrayed in the movie and not all of them are Colombian. I saw this movie when I was a kid and I have wanted to go to Colombia ever since.

The fact that I am saying it, quite obviously, makes it my opinion.

[–] freddycheeny 17 years ago

I'm also from Bogotá. i remember when i first moved to the US some kid asked me if i lived up in a tree in the jungle and what tribe i was from when i told him that i was from Colombia.

But thats off point, they should have done some research on Colombia,one thing they could have done is used Colombian actors, it's sad when they speak Spanish with a Mexican or Cuban accent and people just assume its all gibberish and sounds the same anyways.

another thing... THERE ARE NO MOUNTAINS IN CARTAGENA!!!
that was a big f-up it's actually a coastal city, the Andes mountains are further south-west.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Jane_Doe01 17 years ago

Stop your fuc*ng crying, shi*head. It's a fiction movie created for popcorn entertainment. If the film makes Colombia look like a savage jungle, then you make Colombian people look like self-absorbed and tight-assed crybabies.

[–] hkronin 16 years ago

I'm an American, but most of my extended family lives in Colombia, and I have been there many times.

1) 1st of all, there are many movies that portray countries, cities, or people in a negative light, but I have to agree with the original poster, that this one is particularly bad. On the bottom of the screen the movie states the location as "Bogata Colombia" and it shows dirt roads and shacks and people traveling with donkeys. Bogata is a major metropolitan city with shopping malls, traffic congestion, and fine restaurants.

2) point #2. Yes Colombia is dangerous in some areas, and very safe in others... like many countries. In the US I feel pretty safe in my suburban neighborhood, but there are certain parts of LA, New York, and Detroit, where I may not come out of alive. Bogota is actually very safe. I felt safer there walking around than I would in Detroit. There are some dangerous outskirts however where I would not go, and where the military and police don't have a strong presence.

3) Bashing Americans as fat, lazy, and ignorant is just as bad as people stereotyping your countries. There are as many negative stereotypes about the USA as there are about every country. There are people all over this world that hate Americans and even many that want to kill Americans, yet they have never even been here. This place is like anywhere else... it has good people, bad people, smart people, and dumb people. It has some of the fattest, most out of shape people in the world, and also produces some of the best athletes in the world.

[–] leonardlikesthispost 15 years ago

While I agree with you on a lot of these points, I have to say, it was this movie that made me want to travel to Colombia to discover all the wonderful things it has!

I am not a Frankenstein. I'm a Fronkensteen.